Reproducing apparatus and reproducing/recording apparatus memorizing identification information of optical information meda and method thereof

ABSTRACT

A reproducing or reproducing/recording apparatus of an optical information recording medium, wherein identifier information obtained by reading out the information from the optical information recording medium with a drive  1   a,  video/audio information, and information indicative of reproducing position are memorized into a work memory  3,  and the identifier information and the information indicative of reproducing position, which are memorized in the work memory, are read out to be stored into a non-volatile memory  9  on the basis of interruption instruction outputted from a interruption instruction means  4  at a desired time duration or period. With such the construction, it is possible to obtain the reproduction of the medium directly form when electric power including electric power supply is turned ON, even if the electric power supply is abruptly turned OFF or a stopped, and further if a power button is turned OFF with forgetting an operation of a last memory instruction key.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus of informationrecording media, in particular, optical information recording mediumsuch as an optical disc (i.e., a so-called “Digital Video Disc”, etc.,into which digital video/audio information can be recorded, and also toa recording/reproducing apparatus of information recording media,including such optical information recording media such as a DVD-RAM(i.e., a so called Digital Video Disc-Random Access Memory), etc.

2. Description of Prior Art

In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. Hei 9-219086 (1997), there isdisclosed or described an example of a conventional reproducingapparatus of an optical disc.

The optical disc reproducing apparatus of the conventional art has afunction of detecting an identifier which is an inherent information foreach of the optical discs and obtainable from the data of the recordedinformation thereof so as to identify it, and a function, a so-called“last memory” function for memorizing position information of theoptical disc, whereby the video/audio information is recorded into alast memory together with it, when a last memory instruction key ispushed down.

In such the reproducing apparatus of the optical disc, after beingmounted or set with an optical disc therein, the identifier of theoptical disc is detected and decided whether to be coincident with thatwhich is memorized into the last memory or not. In a case where it isdetected that they are coincident to each other, then the reproductionis started from a continuous reproducing position upon an instructionfor reproduction generated from the last memory on/off operation key,while the reproduction is started from an original starting position orbeginning if there is no such the starting instruction for thereproduction from the last memory on/off operation key. Further, if itis impossible to detect the fact that they are coincident to each other,the reproduction is started from the original starting position (i.e.,from the beinning) with regardless of the operation on the last-memoryon/off operation key.

However, in such the conventional art, the position information of theoptical disc recording the video/audio information therein, at the timewhen the last memory instruction key is pushed down, is memorized intothe last memory together with the identifier information, upon theoperation of the last memory instruction key, therefore there is notguarantee that the identifier information and the position informationof the disc at which the reproduction is made are certainly memorizedinto the last memory in any occasion.

For instance, if the power supply is abruptly turned OFF (i.e.,interrupted) or is cut off (i.e., stopped) under bad condition ofelectric power supply source, further, if a power bottom is erroneouslyturned OFF because of forgetting the operation of the above last memoryinstruction key, the identifier information and the position informationof the disc at which the reproduction is made are lost. Therefore, thereis a problem that the continuous reproduction cannot be obtained even ifthe power source including power supply is turned ON again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first object of the present invention is, for dissolving theabove-mentioned problem, to provide a reproducing apparatus ofinformation recording media, in particular, an optical informationrecording medium, and a method thereof, whereby the continuousreproduction can be immediately done when the power source includingpower supply is turned ON again, even in the case where the power supplywas abruptly turned OFF or is cut off under such the bad condition ofthe electric power supply source, and further in the case where thepower button is erroneously turned OFF without operation of the abovelast memory instruction key.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a reproducingapparatus of information recording media, in particular, an opticalinformation recording medium, whereby the reproduction can be donecontinuously from the reproduction interruption position, or from thebeginning of a title, a chapter or a disc, at the user's selection whenthe power source including power supply is turned ON again, even in thecase where the power supply is abruptly turned OFF or is cut off undersuch the bad condition of the electric power supply source, and furtherin the case where the power button is erroneously turned OFF without theoperation of the above last memory instruction key.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a reproducingapparatus of information recording media, in particular, an opticalinformation recording medium, whereby the continuous reproduction can bedone with maintaining the same condition as before when the power sourceincluding power supply is turned ON again, even in the case where thepower supply is abruptly turned OFF or is cut off under such the badcondition of the electric power supply source, and further in the casewhere the power button is erroneously turned OFF without operation ofthe above last memory instruction key.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide arecording/reproducing apparatus of information recording media, inparticular, an optical information recording medium, whereby continuousrecording of input data can be done immediately when the power sourceincluding power supply is turned ON again, even in the case where thepower supply is abruptly turned OFF or is cut off under such the badcondition of the electric power supply source.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide arecording/reproducing apparatus of information recording media, inparticular, an optical information recording medium, whereby continuousrecording of input data can be done immediately with maintaining thesame condition as before when the power source including power supply isturned ON again, even in the case where the power supply is abruptlyturned OFF or is cut off under such the bad condition of the electricpower supply source.

According to the present invention, for achieving the first objectmentioned above, there is provided a reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, comprising:

a drive for reading out information recorded onto the informationrecording medium;

a drive controller portion for controlling said drive so as to extractvideo/audio data from the recorded information by reproducing thereof,and having a function of identifying said information recording mediumwhich is mounted onto said drive by detecting an identifier informationfrom data in the recorded information;

video/audio output portion for outputting video/audio;

a work memory for memorizing the identifier information being identifiedin said drive controller portion, the video/audio data being extractedin said drive controller portion, and information indicative ofreproducing position;

a decoder portion for reading out the video/audio data memorized in saidwork memory and for converting the read-out video/audio data intodesired video/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio outputportion;

an interruption instruction means for outputting an interruptioninstruction at a desired time period or frequency;

a non-volatile memory; and

a controller portion for controlling the identifier information and theinformation indicative of the reproducing position which are memorizedin said work memory so as to be read out and to be stored into saidnon-volatile memory upon basis of the interruption instruction outputtedat the desired time period or frequency from said interruptioninstruction means.

According to the present invention, for achieving the second objectmentioned above, there is provided a reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, comprising:

a drive for reading out information recorded onto the informationrecording medium;

a drive controller portion for controlling said drive so as to extractvideo/audio data from the recorded information by reproducing thereof,and having a function of identifying said information recording mediumwhich is mounted onto said drive by detecting an identifier informationfrom data in the recorded information;

video/audio output portion for outputting video/audio;

a work memory for memorizing the identifier information being identifiedin said drive controller portion, the video/audio data being extractedin said drive controller portion, and information indicative ofreproducing position;

a decoder portion for reading out the video/audio data memorized in saidwork memory and for converting the read-out video/audio data intodesired video/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio outputportion;

an interruption instruction means for outputting an interruptioninstruction at a desired time period or frequency;

a non-volatile memory;

selection means for selecting whether the position of the reproductionto be started from a continuous reproducing position again or not whenconducting the reproduction anew; and

a controller portion for controlling the identifier information and theinformation indicative of the reproducing position which are memorizedin said work memory so as to be read out and to be stored into saidnon-volatile memory upon basis of the interruption instruction outputtedat the desired time period or frequency from said interruptioninstruction means, and for controlling the reproduction from thecontinuous reproducing position by controlling said drive controllerportion upon basis of the information indicative of the reproducingposition which is read out from said non-volatile memory when conductingthe reproduction anew, in a case where the identifier information readout from said non-volatile memory and the identifier informationidentified in said drive controller portion is compared to be coincidentwith and the reproduction from the continuous reproducing position isselected by said selection portion.

According to the present invention, for achieving the third objectmentioned above, there is provided a reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the above, wherein saiddecoder portion reads out the video/audio data stored in said workmemory, and converts the read-out video/audio data into desiredvideo/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio output portion, andfurther outputs the information indicative reproducing position withrespect to said information recording medium; and said controllerportion controls so that the identifier information memorized in saidwork memory and the information indicative of the reproducing positionobtained from said decoder portion are stored into said non-volatilememory on basis of the interruption instruction outputted from saidinterruption instruction means at the desired time duration or period.Further, there is provided a reproducing apparatus of an informationrecording medium, as defined in the above, wherein said work memorymemorizes the identifier information which is identified in said drivecontroller portion, the video/audio data extracted from said drivecontroller portion, the information indicative of reproducing position,and information relating to a conversion method; and said controllerportion controls so that the identifier information, the informationindicative of the reproducing position, and the information relating tothe conversion method, which are memorized in said work memory, are readout to be stored into said non-volatile memory on basis of theinterruption instruction outputted from said interruption instructionmeans at the desired time duration or period. Furthermore, there isprovide a reproducing apparatus of an information recording medium, asdefined in the above, wherein said work memory memorizes the identifierinformation which is identified in said drive controller portion, thevideo/audio data extracted from said drive controller portion, theinformation indicative of reproducing position, and information relatingto an output method for outputting from said video/audio portion; andsaid controller portion controls so that the identifier information, theinformation indicative of the reproducing position, and the informationrelating to the output method, which are memorized in said work memory,are read out to be stored into said non-volatile memory on basis of theinterruption instruction outputted from said interruption instructionmeans at the desired time duration or period.

In this instance, it is preferable in the reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the above, wherein saidnon-volatile memory is so constructed that the information are memorizedinto plural different areas sequentially, and are over-writtensequentially thereon when they are written into all of said pluralareas. Further, it is preferable in the reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the above, furthercomprising set-up means for setting up information relating to outputmethod for outputting from said video/audio output portion and formemorizing it into said work memory.

According to the present invention, for achieving the fourth objectmentioned above, there is provided a reproducing/recording apparatus ofan information recording medium, comprising:

a drive for writing information onto the information recording medium,and for reading out information recorded onto the information recordingmedium;

a drive controller portion for controlling said drive so as to write theinformation, and so as to extract video/audio from the recordedinformation recorded onto the information recording medium byreproducing thereof;

a work memory for memorizing information indicative of a writing-inposition onto the information recording medium, and for memorizing thevideo/audio data being extracted in said drive controller portion;

an interruption instruction means for outputting an interruptioninstruction at a desired time period or frequency;

a controller portion for controlling the information indicative of thewriting position which is memorized in said work memory so as to beread-out and to be written into the information recording medium by saiddrive through said drive controller portion upon basis of theinterruption instruction outputted at the desired time period orfrequency from said interruption instruction means;

video/audio output portion for outputting video/audio; and

a decoder portion for reading out the video/audio data stored in saidwork memory and for converting the read-out video/audio data intodesired video/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio outputportion.

In the instance, it is preferable a reproducing/recording apparatus ofan information recording medium, as defined in the above, furthercomprising:

data input means for inputting data, wherein,

said work memory memorizes the data inputted from said input means andthe information indicative of writing position onto said informationrecording medium, and further memorizes the video/audio data extractedfrom said drive controller portion.

Further, it is also preferable a reproducing/recording apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the above, furthercomprising:

selecting means for selecting whether to start the writing from aposition for continuous writing or not, wherein,

said controller portion controls said drive controller portion to writethe data from the position for continuous writing on basis of theinformation indicative of the writing position which is written ontosaid information recording medium when the writing from the position forcontinuous writing is selected through said selecting means.

And, also, it is preferable a reproducing/recording apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the above, furthercomprising:

a non-volatile memory, and wherein,

said controller portion controls so that the information indicative ofthe writing position memorized in said work memory so as to be storedinto said non-volatile memory on basis of the interruption instructionoutputted from said interruption instruction means at the desired timeduration or period.

Further, according to the present invention, for achieving the fifthobject mentioned above, there is provided a reproducing/recordingapparatus of an information recording medium, comprising:

a drive for writing information onto the optical information recordingmedium, and for reading out information recorded onto the informationrecording medium;

a drive controller portion for controlling said drive so as to write theinformation, and so as to extract video/audio from the recordedinformation recorded onto the information recording medium byreproducing thereof;

a data input portion for inputting data;

a work memory for memorizing the data inputted from said data inputportion and information indicative of a position of a last portion of awriting area of said data onto the information recording medium, and formemorizing the video/audio data being extracted in said drive controllerportion;

a controller portion for controlling the data memorized in said workmemory to be read out and to be written into said information recordingmedium through said drive controller portion, and for controlling theinformation indicative of the last portion of said writing area to beread-out and to be written into said information recording medium bysaid drive through said drive controller portion;

video/audio output portion for outputting video/audio; and

a decoder portion for reading out the video/audio data stored in saidwork memory and for converting the read-out video/audio data intodesired video/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio outputportion.

In this instance, it is preferable the decoder portion in the abovereproducing/recording apparatus of an information recording medium isconstructed so that the compression process such as MPEG and so on istreated to the data inputted through said data input portion.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided areproducing method of video/audio signal recorded on an informationrecording medium with a reproducing apparatus, comprising:

reading out information from the information recording medium which ismounted on said reproducing apparatus;

detecting information indicative of a present position of the read-outfrom the information recording medium;

memorizing the information indicative of the present position of thereading-out; and

re-starting the reading-out of the information recorded onto theinformation recording medium by using said memorized informationindicative of the present position of the reading-out, afterinterruption of electric power to said reproducing apparatus.

Also, according to the present invention, there is provided areproducing method of video/audio signal as defined in the above,wherein the information indicative of the present position of thereading-out is memorized into a memory which is provided in saidreproducing apparatus.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided areproducing method of video/audio signal as defined in the above,wherein the information indicative of the present position of thereading-out is memorized at a predetermined time period.

According to the reproducing apparatus of an information recordingmedium for accomplishing the first object of the present invention, itis possible to obtain the reproduction of the medium directly from whenelectric power including electric power supply is turned ON next, evenif the electric power supply is abruptly turned OFF or stopped due tobad electric power supply condition, and further if a power button isturned OFF with forgetting an operation of a last memory instructionkey.

According to the reproducing apparatus of an information recordingmedium for accomplishing the second object of the present invention, itis possible to obtain the reproduction of the medium from the positionfor continuous reproduction, titles or chapters thereof, or from thebeginning of the disc, upon the selection of user, when electric powerincluding electric power supply is turned ON next again, even if theelectric power supply is abruptly turned OFF or stopped due to badelectric power supply condition, and further if a power button is turnedOFF with forgetting an operation of a last memory instruction key.

According to the reproducing apparatus of an information recordingmedium for accomplishing the second object of the present invention, itis also possible to obtain continuous reproduction of the video/audiooutput with maintaining the previous condition as before, when electricpower including electric power supply is turned ON next, even if theelectric power supply is abruptly turned OFF or stopped due to badelectric power supply condition, and further if a power button is turnedOFF with forgetting an operation of a last memory instruction key.

According to the reproducing apparatus of an information recordingmedium for accomplishing the fourth object of the present invention, itis possible to continuously write the inputted data directly from whenelectric power including electric power supply is turned ON next, evenif the electric power supply is abruptly turned OFF or stopped due tobad electric power supply condition.

According to the reproducing apparatus of an information recordingmedium for accomplishing the fifth object of the present invention, itis possible to write the inputted data continuously when electric powerincluding electric power supply is turned ON next, with maintaining theprevious condition even if the electric power supply is abruptly turnedOFF or stopped due to bad electric power supply condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 shows an outline of the entire structure of an embodiment of areproducing apparatus of information recording media, in particular, anoptical information recording medium, according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows contents of a memory map which is constructed with anEEPROM as a last memory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows memory areas within the last memory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an initial operation process flow in thereproducing apparatus of information recording media, in particular, anoptical information recording medium, according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 shows a menu display for selecting between continuous play andplay from beginning;

FIG. 6 shows a remote controller for selecting between continuous playand play from beginning;

FIG. 7 shows an outline of the entire structure of an embodiment of arecording/reproducing apparatus of information recording media, inparticular, an optical information recording medium, according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 shows a concept of the last memory which is divided into acontemporary memory area for memorizing reproduced informationrotationally or cyclically during when a disc is inserted, and a mainmemory area for memorizing the reproduced information only when the discis exchanged;

FIG. 9 shows a memory map of the above-mentioned reproduced information,when being constructed by dividing the memory map shown in FIG. 2 intotwo for a reproduced information and a set-up information;

FIG. 10 shows a memory map of the above-mentioned set-up information,when being constructed by dividing the memory map shown in FIG. 2 intotwo for the reproduced information and the set-up information from;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart for showing the operation of a controllerportion when power source is ON;

FIG. 12 shows a storage image of the data which is recorded into thelast memory when executing the flow chart shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows the operation of the controller portion after insertion ofthe disc therein, and,

FIG. 14 shows a storage image of the data which is recorded into thelast memory when executing the flow chart shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of a disc reproducing apparatus (i.e., areproducing apparatus of the Digital Video Disc) according to thepresent invention will be fully explained by referring to the attacheddrawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 showing an outline of the entire structure of anembodiment of a reproducing apparatus of information recording media, inparticular, an optical information recording medium, according to thepresent invention, a drive 1 a extracts or picks up digital data from amedium 1 aa, such as a DVD, CD (so-called compact disc: an optical discmedium for recording an audio data in digital), and/or VCD (Video Disc:an optical disc medium for recording a video data in digital), etc. Areading means 1 ab, reads out the information recorded in the medium 1aa. A driver means 1 ac drives the above medium 1 aa ratably and/ordrives the reading means 1 ab, to move. A drive controller portion 2 a,which is constructed with a micro-computer and so on, controls thereproduction by the drive 1 a upon an instruction from a controllerportion 6 through a bus 10 so as to read out the digital data relatingthe video/audio in the medium to be memorized into a work memory 3through the bus 10, thereby having a function of identifying ordiscriminating the disc information, such as a kind or sort of the discsand an identifier (ID) of the disc, from the data of the informationrecorded in the medium.

The work memory 3 stores therein: the video/audio data which is read outand/or extracted from the optical disc by the drive controller portion 2a; the disc information obtained from the drive controller portion 2 a;information indicative of video reproduction information and a videoreproducing position obtained from a decoder portion 8; and the set-upinformation obtained from the controller portion 6 which is selectivelyinputted by a user or operator of the apparatus. This work memory 3 maybe constructed with such as DRAM, etc., and is provided for collectingand summarizing the reproduced information to be stored into a lastmemory 9.

Further, the disc information obtained from the drive controller portion2 a includes: (2) kind or sort of the medium, (3) identifier (DISC ID)of the disc, etc. Also, the video reproduction information obtained fromthe decoder portion 8 includes: (4) video information; (7) title number;(8) chapter number, etc. Further, the information indicative of thevideo reproducing position which is obtained from the decoder portion 8includes: (9) information indicative of reproduction interruptionposition. And, the set-up information by the user's selection and inputoperations includes: (5) caption or subtitle; (6) audio, Karaoke; (10) akind or sort of TV, OSD (On Screen Display); (11) APS (Audio PutSystem); (12) volume of each audio channel; (13) automatic reproduction;(14) OSD (On Screen Display) menu language; (15) disc menu language;(16) DRC (Dynamic Range Control); (17) screen saver, background color;(18) parental level; (19) optical digital output; (20) brightness ofdisplay; and (22) parental identification number (ID), etc.

The timer 4 functions as an interruption instructing means for giving aninterruption instruction to the controller portion 6 at a random orarbitrary time period, such as every 1 min., for example here. Thistimer 4 may be constructed with an oscillator and a counter for countinga pulse signal generated and outputted from the above oscillator at aconstant time period.

The controller portion 6, which is constructed with the micro-computer,etc., for controlling the optical disc reproducing apparatus as a whole,receives a selection operation signal 11 from a input portion 5 byoperation of the user, and instructs the drive controller portion 2 a,the decoder portion 8 and a video/audio output portion 7 so as toreproduce from the medium. Further, the input portion 5 controls in sucha manner that the disc information obtained through the drive controllerportion 2 a, the video reproduction information obtained through thedecoder portion 8, further the selection operation information obtainedfrom the controller portion 6, and the set-up information by the inputoperation by the user are stored into the work memory 3. Furthermore,the controller portion 6 samples and/or extracts a physical position(i.e., video reproducing position) on the disc with respect to thedisplay which is actually displayed under the control of the decoderportion 8, at the periodical interruption instruction timing of thetimer 4 (every 1 min., for an example). And, the extracted informationindicative of the video reproducing position is so controlled as to bestored into the last memory 9 corresponding to the information stored inthe above work memory 3. Moreover, when an power switch is turned OFF,the controller portion 6 controls so that the information (i.e., LASTposition information) indicative of the position of a last portion onrecording/reproducing area at which is lastly recorded-reproduced as faras the electric power is supplied thereto, is read out from the workmemory 3 to be stored into the last memory 9 corresponding to otherinformation.

A video/audio output portion 7, which is constructed with a speaker(s)and/or a monitor (that may be constructed, for example, with a display,a liquid crystal display, etc.), converts the video digital signaldecoded by, such as extension process within the decoder portion 8,etc., into an analogue signal (i.e., A/D conversion), and also convertsthe decoded audio digital signal into an analogue signal (i.e., A/Dconversion), thereby outputting them as images and sounds thereof. Ifthe speaker(s) and the monitor is constructed as a separate body fromthe optical disc reproducing apparatus, it is needless to say that thevideo/audio output portion 7 is constructed with output terminals foroutputting the audio signal and/or video signal to the speaker(s) and/orthe monitor, respectively.

The decoder portion 8 receives the instruction from the controllerportion 6 to decode or decompress the digital data, such as those of thevideo/audio memorized in the work memory 3, which are compressed bymeans of such as MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Coding Expert Group 2: highefficiency coding technology for application to the current broadcastingand/or HDTV (High Definition TV) and to AV (Audio and/or Video)apparatuses, for internationally standardized multi-media data) so as tobe extended or decompressed, thereby outputting the compressedvideo/audio digital data being decoded or expended to the video/audiooutput portion 7.

Further, the decoder portion 8 controls an information relating to bitstream (i.e., bit stream information) which is presently outputted anddisplayed on the video/audio output portion 7 as an internal conditionor state thereof, therefore, that information is supplied from thedecoder portion 8 to the work memory 3 to be memorized therein.Accordingly, by reading out or sampling that information from the workmemory 3 at the interruption instruction timing (for example, every 1min.) of the timer 4, it is possible to store that information into thelast memory 9 as the information indicative of the video reproducingposition. Namely, since the decoder portion 8 carries out the PTS(Presentation Time Stamp) management, the information of the physicalposition on the disc with respect to the display actually displayed onthe reproduction process is supplied from the decoder portion 8 to thework memory 3 to be memorized therein. Therefore, the physical position,which is extracted by sampling thereof at the timing of the interruptioninstruction (for example, every 1 min.) of the timer 4, is stored intothe last memory 9 as the information indicative of the video reproducingposition. Moreover, the decoder portion 8 outputs the physical positioninformation on the disc with regard to the display being actuallydisplayed, and the information (i.e., the LAST position information)indicative of the last portion of the each recording/reproducing area,so as to be memorized into the work memory 3.

The controller portion 6 extracts the information indicative of thevideo reproducing position which is managed or controlled by the decoderportion 8, corresponding to the disc information, the video reproductioninformation, the set-up information which are read out at the timing(for example, every 1 min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer4, by sampling at the timing (for example, every 1 min.) of theinterruption instruction of the timer 4, thereby writing it into thelast memory 9. The last memory 9, into which the disc information, thevideo reproduction information, the set-up information, and also theinformation indicative of the video reproducing position are written,may be constructed with, such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable andProgrammable Read Only Memory) having a limit in writing times thereofor with a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory. In the case ofthe current EEPROM, the possible writing time is said to be 100,000.Also, into the last memory 9 is stored the information indicative of theposition of the last portion of the recording/reproducing area where therecording/reproducing is actually done when the electric power switch isturned OFF (i.e., the information of indicative the LAST position),together with the disc information, the video reproduction information,and the setup information.

Then, the drive controller portion 2 a, the work memory 3, thecontroller portion 6, the video/audio output portion 7, the decoderportion 8, the timer 4 and the last memory are connected to one anotherthrough a bus 10.

As is explained in the above, during when the drive 1 a is used (onreproduction), the information indicative of the video reproducingposition, which is managed by the decoder portion 8, is extracted bysampling it at the timing (for example, every 1 min.) of theinterruption instruction of the timer 4 on the basis of the control fromthe controller portion 6, and this extracted information indicative ofthe video reproducing position is stored into the last memorycorresponding to the disc information, the video reproductioninformation and the set-up information which are read out from the workmemory 3. The information indicative of the video reproducing position,which is managed by the decoder portion 8, is provided to the workmemory 3 to be memorized therein, therefore, it is possible to beextracted from the work memory 3 by sampling it at the timing (forexample, every 1 min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer 4,corresponding to the disc information, the video reproductioninformation and the set-up information. Further, the informationindicative of the video reproducing position, which is managed by thedecoder portion 8, is also possible to be extracted directly from thedecoder portion 8 by sampling it at the timing (for example, every 1min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer 4, corresponding tothe disc information, the video reproduction information and the set-upinformation.

Accordingly, since the disc information, the video reproductioninformation, and the set-up information, as well as the informationindicative of the video reproducing position, are always sampled andstored into the last memory 9 during the reproduction, at a desired timeperiod or frequency, therefore, those information, i.e., the discinformation, the video reproduction information, the set-up information,and the information indicative of the video reproducing position at thetime just before it, are preserved when the power supply is abruptlybroken down or is cut off under a bad condition of the electric powersupply source of the apparatus. Therefore, when the power supply isturned ON again, it is possible to execute the reproduction continuouslyfrom that position, under the same output condition (output method)including the decoding method thereof.

However, since the decoder portion 8 executes the PTS (Presentation TimeStamp) control or management, the controller portion 6 controls so as toalways obtain the physical position on the disc from the decoder portionwith respect to the display actually indicated, during the production,to be memorized into the work memory 3. Then, by sampling and extractingthe physical position on the disc which is memorized in the work memory3 at the timing (for example, every 1 min.) of the interruptioninstruction of the timer 4, it can be stored into the last memory 9 asthe information of the video reproducing position.

Next, the contents of a memory map in the case where the last memory 9is constructed with the EEPROM will be explained by referring to FIG. 2.

Namely, in an address “000”, there is stored (1) a “management number0”, i.e., the management number of the last memory of the controllerportion 6, being an index (management number) as an information for eachone piece of the disc.

In an address “001”, there is stored (2) “kind of medium”, i.e., “0” forthe DVD disc, “1” for the VCD disc, and “2” for the CD.

In addresses “002” through “005”, there is memorized the inherentinformation, i.e., “DISC ID”.

In an address “006”, there is stored (4) “video information”, i.e., a:an aspect (X0: pan scan & letter box, X2: pan scan, X2: PAL (PhaseAlternation by Line color television), b: image method (0X: AUTO,1X:NTSC (National Television System Committee), 2X:PAL).

Where, “X” indicates that it can be any number. Explaining “X0: pan scan& letter box” as an example, “X0” means two-bit information of “X” and“0”, and it is memorized as the “pan scan & letter box” by the lower onebit of the “X0”. In the explanation given hereinafter, the meaning of itis same to that.

In an address “007”, there is stored (5) “caption (or subtitle)”, i.e.,“00”: caption OFF, 1-32: caption ON.

In an address “008”, there is stored (6) “audio, Karaoke”, i.e., a:audio (X0-X7), b: Karaoke (0X: normal, 1X: vocal OFF, 2X: vocal 1, and3X: vocal 2.

In an address “009”, there is stored (7) “title No.”, i.e., position0-99 where the reproduction is interrupted.

In an address “00A”, there is stored (8) “chapter No.”, i.e., position0-99 where the reproduction is interrupted.

In addresses “00B”-“00E”, there is stored (9) “reproduction interruptionposition”, i.e., the position just before when the power supply isabruptly interrupted or cut off (i.e., the video reproducing position),or the position of the last portion (the LAST position) of interruptingthe reproduction designated by the user (for example, it can beindicated by time, including hour, minute and second or the address onthe disc).

In an address “00F”, there is stored (10) “kind of TV, OSD (On ScreenDisplay) position”, i.e., X0: 4:3, X1: 16:9, X: above OSD, 1X: belowOSD, and 2X: FF.

In an address “010”, there is stored (11) “audio output position (AudioPut System)”, i.e., XXXXXXX1: having surround speakers, XXXXXXX0: nosurround speakers, XXXXXX1X: having center speaker, XXXXXX0X: no centerspeaker, XXXXX1XX: having sub-woofer, and XXXXX0XX: no sub-woofer.

In addresses “011”-“016”, there is stored (12) “FL (Front Left Channel),FR (Front Right Channel), SL (Sub Left Channel), SR (Sub Right Channel),center, sub-woofer sound volume”, i.e., output levels (display value) ofDAC.

In an addresses “017”, there is stored (13) “automatic reproduction”,i.e., 0: no automatic reproduction when plugging socket (power OFF), 1:automatic reproduction when plugging socket.

In an addresses “018”, there is stored (14) “OSD menu language”, i.e.,combination of OSD display and language of display.

In an addresses “019”, there is stored (15) “disc menu language”.

In an addresses “01A”, there is stored (16) “DRC (Dynamic RangeControl)”, i.e., 0: ON, and 1: OFF.

In an addresses “01B”, there is stored (17) “screen saver, backgroundcolor”, i.e., X0: screen saver OFF, X1: screen saver ON, and 0X-FX:background colors.

In an addresses “01C”, there is stored (18) “parental level”, i.e., 1-8.

In an addresses “01D”, there is stored (19) “optical digital output”,i.e., 0: no, 1: AC3/LPCM, and 2: LPCM.

In an addresses “01E”, there is stored (20) “brightness of display”,i.e., 00: normal, 01: dim. 1, 2: dim. 2, and 03: OFF.

In an addresses “01F”, there is stored (21) “CHECK SUM”, i.e., additionresult for each bite of the above (1)-(19).

In addresses “7EE” and “7EF”, there is stored (22) “parentalidentification No.”, i.e., four digit number(BCD).

With the optical disc reproducing apparatus, it is possible to obtainthe disc information relating to the (2) “kind of medium”, and the (3)identifier (“DISC ID”) by reading out the recorded data on the medium 1aa which is set into the drive 1 a with the reading means 1 ab andfurther by extracting it with the drive controller portion 2 a.Accordingly, when the medium 1 aa is set into the drive 1 a to bereproduced, first the disc information is extracted from the drivecontroller portion 2 a and memorized into the work memory 3. In thisway, as with the disc information, it is first extracted from the drivecontroller portion 2 a and memorized into the work memory 3, therefore,it is possible to be obtained by reading out at the timing (for example,ever 1 min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer 4 upon thebasis of the instruction from the controller portion 6.

Further, as with the above-mentioned (4) “video information”, (7) “titleNo.”, and (8) “chapter No.” which are stored in the last memory 9, theyare obtained through the decoder 8 and are stored into the work memory3, therefore, they are able to be obtained by reading out at the timing(for example, ever 1 min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer4 upon the basis of the instruction from the controller portion 6.Namely, the (4) “video information”, i.e., a: aspect ratio and b: imagemethod, when the user set up it by using the user operation inputportion 5, is stored into the work memory 3, at the same time it is setup in the decoder portion 8. The (7) “title No.” and the (8) “chapterNo.” are stored into the last-memory by reading out the internalcondition or state of the decoder 8, for dealing with both of the caseswhere the user does not set up particularly with the automaticreproduction, and where the operator set up them. In this manner, thevideo reproduction information relating to the (4) “video information”,the (7) “title No.”, and the (8) “chapter No.” are the informationrelating to the decoding method for decoding the data to be extended inthe decoder portion 8.

As with the set-up information as the output condition (the outputmethod) for the output from the video/audio output portion 7, includingthe (5) “caption”, the (6) “audio, Karaoke”, the (10) “kind of TV, OSD(On Screen Display)”, the (11) “Audio Put System”, the (12) sound volumeof each voice channel, the (13) “automatic reproduction”, the (14) “OSDmenu language”, the (15) “disc menu language”, the (16) “DRC”, the (17)“screen saver, background color”, the (18) “parental level”, the (19)“optical digital output”, the (20) “brightness of display”, and the (22)“parental identification No.”, etc., since they are set up with theinputting from the user operation input portion 5 and are stored in thework memory 3, they can be obtained by reading out them at the timing(for example, ever 1 min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer4 on the basis of the instruction from the controller portion 6.

Further, as with the set-up information relating to the video/audiooutput portion which are stored in the last memory 9, including the (1)“management No. 0”, the (5) “caption”, the (6) “audio, Karaoke”, the(10) “kind of TV, OSD (On Screen Display)”, the (11) “Audio Put System”,the (12) sound volume of each voice channel, the (13) “automaticreproduction”, the (14) “OSD menu language”, the (15) “disc menulanguage”, the (16) “DRC (Dynamic Range Control)”, the (17) “screensaver, background color”, the (18) “parental level”, the (19) “opticaldigital output”, the (20) “brightness of display”, and the (22)“parental identification No.”, etc., are the information forming a pairtogether with the above-mentioned disc information and the videoreproducing information, therefore they can be obtained with thecontroller portion 6 by selection and operation by the user through theuser operation input portion 5. Of course, those information are alsostored into the work memory 3.

Further, the (9) “information indicative of reproduction interruptionposition” is obtained under different condition, between when the powersupply is abruptly turned OFF or is cut off under the bad condition ofthe electric power supply source, and when the power button is normallyturned OFF. In the case where the power supply is abruptly turned OFF oris cut off under the bad condition of the electric power supply source,it comes to be the information indicative of the position where thesampling is made just before at the timing (for example, ever 1 min.) ofthe interruption instruction of the timer 4 (the information indicativeof the video reproducing position). Actually, as will be explainedlater, it is stored into a plurality of different areas in the lastmemory every time when it is sampled, and it is written over it (i.e.,over-write) if completing one cycle, therefore, when the power supply isabruptly turned OFF or is cut off, the information indicative of theplural positions of the samplings before it (the information indicativeof the video reproducing positions) has been stored. Alternatively, whenthe power button is normally turned OFF, it comes to be the informationindicative of the last portion of the recording/reproducing area (theinformation indicative of LAST position) where the recording/reproducingwas made.

Next, an explanation will be given on a way of memorizing into the lastmemory 9. Namely, the reproduced information of the optical disc(medium), such as the disc information of 32-bite, the videoreproduction information, the set-up information, and also thereproduction interruption position information, are recorded one by oneinto the memory areas from P1 to P5 for example, as is shown in FIG. 3,and if it reaches up to the last area P5, it is over-written to bememorized from the area P1 again. When the disc set into the drive 1 ais reproduced, then the reproduced information (32-bite) are recorded,i.e., a first reproduced information (32-bite) is recorded into the areaP1 after passing for example 1 min. being the sampling time, a secondone into P2 1 min. thereafter, a third one into P3 further 1 min.thereafter, and a fourth one into P4 furthermore 1 min. thereafter. And,if the recording of the reproduced information is made into P5, then thenext reproduced information is over-written to be recorded into the P1again.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, with the above-mentioned memory map(EEPROM of 2K), it is possible to record the information for at the mostten (10) pieces of the discs, with the rotation of about six (6) turnsfor each disc thereof. B1-B6 indicate the areas where the reproducedinformation being sampled is memorized sequentially, in the each discwhich is set into the drive 1 a. Disc1-Disc10 indicate the areas inwhich the information is recorded for the ten (10) pieces of the discswhich are set into the drive 1 a.

Then, assuming that the optical disc reproducing apparatus is used forfour (4) hours per a day, if the controller portion 6 writes into thelast memory, i.e., the EEPROM, the information, including the discinformation, the video reproduction information, the set-up information,and also the information indicative of the video reproducing position asthe information indicative of the reproduction interruption position, atone time per 1 min., they are written into 240 times per a day. However,as was mentioned in the above, the number of times of when they arewritten into the same position comes to be only 40 times per a day, bymaking the rotation of 6 times. Therefore, until when the number oftimes of writing-in into the EEPROM comes up or reaches to 100,000 time,the maximum permissible time for EEPROM, it is possible to continued towrite into it for six (6) years and two (2) months. Accordingly, it ispossible to write the information, including the disc information, thevideo reproduction information, the set-up information, and also theinformation indicative of the video reproducing position as theinformation indicative of the reproduction interruption position, atevery 1 min., into the last memory 9, i.e., EEPROM.

As was explained in the above, the present invention lies in that theinformation of the disc on reproduction, including the disc information,the video reproduction information, the set-up information, and also theinformation indicative of the video reproducing position as theinformation indicative of the reproduction interruption position, whichare memorized in the work memory 3, are stored into the last memory 9which is constructed with a non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM or flashmemory, at the timing (for example, ever 1 min.) of the interruptioninstruction of the timer 4, on the basis of the control from thecontroller portion 6. Accordingly, with the optical disc reproducingapparatus according to the present invention, even if the power supplyis abruptly turned OFF due to the bad condition of the electric powersupply source, or if power supply is turned OFF due to the interruptionof the power supply, or if the power switch (power button) is turnedOFF, the disc information, the video reproduction information relatingto the decoding method, the set-up information for the video/audiooutput portion, and also the information indicative of the reproducingposition as the reproduction interruption position information arestored and reserved in the last memory. Therefore, even if the powersupply is turned OFF abruptly or unexpectedly, when the power switch(power button) is turned 6N next, it can continue to reproduce them fromthat position.

Next, an explanation will be given on an initial mode upon a nextturning-ON of the power supply, and a processing flow in the initialoperation.

First, the initial mode upon the next or following turning-ON of thepower supply will be explained.

(1) In a case where the optical disc is inserted or was already insertedinto the drive 1, the information of which are reserved into the lastmemory 9, including the disc identifier (ID), the video reproducinginformation, the set-up information for the video/audio output portion,the information indicative of the video reproduction position as thereproduction interruption position, and the information indicative ofthe LAST position as well, therefore, the user can select thereproduction from the position at which the reproduction was stoppedpreviously or the power switch is turned OFF or the power supply isinterrupted abruptly, or the reproduction from the beginning of thedisc.

(2) For a new disc, it is in a default mode to reproduce it from thebeginning thereof. Namely, in the case of the new disc, the controllerportion 6 sets up the default values, which are inputted by using of theuser operation input portion 5 or the like, for the video/audio outputportion 7.

Next, the processing flow of the initial operation will be explained byreferring to FIG. 4.

Fist, in a step S41, when the optical disc is set (or inserted) into thedrive 1, the drive controller portion 2 1obtains the disc identifier(Disc ID) and so on from the drive 1 and memorized it/them into the workmemory 3 through the bus 10.

Next, in a step S42, the controller portion 6 checks whether exists thedisc identifier (Disc ID) being same to that memorized in the workmemory 3 within the disc identifiers stored in the last memory 9 or not.When it is “Yes”, the process turns back to the initial mode of (1)mentioned above, while it goes to the initial mode (default mode) of (2)mentioned above when it is “No”.

Then, in a step S43, the controller portion 6 reads out the videoreproduction information attached with the above disc identifier, i.e.,the (4) “video information”, the (7) “title No.”, the (8) “chapter No.”,as well as the information indicative of the reproduction interruptionposition, i.e., the information indicative of the video reproducingposition at which the sampling is made and the information indicative ofthe LAST position, which are memorized in the last memory 9, so as toobtain and memorize them into the work memory 3.

Next, in a step S44, the controller portion 6 reads out a program of themenu display 55 shown in FIG. 5, which is memorized in the last memory9, and display it on the monitor (display means) of the video/audiooutput portion 7, so as to provide user's selection items.

Next, in a step S45, when the user selects either one of “1. Continuousplay” or “2. Play from beginning” with the menu display presented on themonitor, then result of the selection is inputted into the controllerportion 6. However, in the above step S45, the user also can select theeither one of “1. Continuous play” or “2. Play from beginning”, byinputting it into the controller portion 6 through a remote controller61, as is shown in FIG. 6. A reference numeral 63 shows a “LAST” button,and it enables the continuous reproduction from the interruptionposition if it is pushed down. A reference numeral 64 shows a button of“Play”, and it enables the reproduction from the beginning of the title.Further, it is also possible to reproduce the disc from the beginning ofthe chapter by designating it through a keyboard 62 or the like.

Next, the controller portion 6, if the user selects the “1. Continuousplay” in the step S45, provides a driver controlling signal to the drivecontroller portion 2, on the basis of the information and so on,including the information indicative of the video reproducing positionas the information indicative of the reproduction interruption position,which is read out from the last memory 9 depending upon the selectionresult and memorized in the work memory 3. Further, it sets up the areasaddresses, for memorizing the compressed video/audio digital data intothe work memory 3, which is read out from the optical disc withcontinuity from the interruption position thereof.

Following to the above, in a step S47, the controller portion 6 providesthe decoding method to the decoder portion 8 on the basis of the videoinformation of the video m reproduction information, which is read outfrom the last memory corresponding to the above-mentioned selectionresult and is memorized in the work memory 3. The controller portion 6also sets up the video outputting method to be outputted at thevideo/audio output portion 7 on the basis of the set-up information forthe video/audio output portion. Following to the above, when completingthe setup into the work memory and the setup of the video outputtingmethod, the controller portion 6, in a step S48, reads out thecompressed video/audio digital data continuously from the interruptionposition from the optical disc, by giving continuous reproductioninstructions to the drive controller portion 2 and to the decoderportion 8, so as to memorize them into the work memory 3 being set upwith the address areas thereof. Further, the controller portion 6controls so that the decoder portion 8 decodes the compressedvideo/audio digital data which is read out from the work memory 3 inaccordance with the above-mentioned decoding method, and an output ofthe preset output method (output condition) is provided from thevideo/audio output portion 7, so as to reproduce it continuously fromthe interruption position thereof.

However, in the step S42, the controller portion 6 checks whether existsthe disc identifier (Disc ID) being same to that memorized in the workmemory 3 within the disc identifiers stored in the last memory 9 or not,and if it is “No”, turns back to the initial mode (default mode) of (2)mentioned above.

Further, if the user selects the “(2) Play from beginning” in the stepS45, since video reproduction information is already obtained into thework memory 3 in the step S43, the controller portion 6, in a step S49,provides the drive controller portion 2 with the title or the chapter orthe drive controlling signal from the beginning of the disc on the basisof the video reproduction information obtained. Further, the controllerportion 6 set up the address areas for memorizing the title, the chapteror the compressed video/audio digital data from the beginning of thedisc into the work memory 3. Following to this, in a step S50, thecontroller portion 6 provides the decoder portion 8 with the decodingmethod on the basis of the video information of the video reproductioninformation which is read out from the last memory corresponding to theabove-mentioned selection result, and sets up the video outputtingmethod with which the output is provided by the video/audio outputportion 7, on the basis of the set-up information for the video/audiooutput portion as well. Following to the above, when completing thesetup into the work memory and the set-up of the video outputtingmethod, the controller portion 6, in a step S51, gives the instructionof reproduction of the title or the chapter or that from the beginning,to the drive controller portion 2 and to the decoder portion 8, so thatthe compressed video/audio digital data from the beginning is read outfrom the disc to be memorized into the areas of the set-up or presetaddresses of the work memory 3. Further, the controller portion 6 makesthe decoder portion 8 to decode the compressed video/audio digital dataread out from the work memory 3 with the above-mentioned decodingmethod, so as to output it from the video/audio output portion 7 withthe set-up or preset output method (output condition), therebyreproducing the title or the chapter or the disc from the beginningthereof.

Accordingly, with the optical disc reproducing apparatus according tothe present invention, even if the power supply is abruptly turned OFFdue to the bad condition of the electric power supply source, or ifpower supply is turned OFF due to the interruption of the power supply,or if the power switch (power button) is turned OFF, since theinformation indicative of the reproducing video position under thereproducing condition just before, and the set-up information relatingto the disc information, and the video reproduction information for thevideo/audio output portion, are stored and reserved in the last memory9, the reproduction can be done depending upon the “(1) Continuous play”or the “(2) Play from beginning” designated with selection by the user,in the above-mentioned reproducing mode (1), by turning the power switch(power button) OFF.

Also with the discs which were already played, the video reproductioninformation and the set-up information are stored in the last memory 9for at the most ten (10) pieces thereof, the controller portion 6 isable to provide the video reproduction information to the decoderportion 8, as well as to set up the set-up information into thevideo/audio output portion 7.

Or, when a new disc is inserted into the drive 1 and the power switch(power button) is turned ON, the reproduction is started from thebeginning thereof under the default condition following theabove-mentioned reproducing mode (2) (default).

Next, an embodiment of an optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus(i.e., a recording/reproducing apparatus applying such a so-calledDVD-RAM apparatus therein) will be explained by referring to attacheddrawings. FIG. 7 shows an outline of the entire structure of the opticaldisc recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.A drive 1 b extracts or picks up digital data from a medium 1 ba of theoptical information recording medium, such as a DVD-RAM, or writes ormemorizes the digital data therein. A reading/writing means 1 bb has afunction of reading out the information recorded in the medium 1 ba andalso a function of writing the digital data into the medium 1 ba. Adriver means 1 bc drives the above medium 1 ba ratably and/or drives thereading/recording means 1 bb to move or sift. A drive controller portion2 b is constructed with a micro-computer and so on. And, the drivecontroller portion 2 b controls the reproduction/recording by the drive1 b upon an instruction from a controller portion 6 through a bus 10 sothat digital data relating to the video/audio in the medium is read outto be memorized into the work memory 3 through the bus 10, or thedigital data memorized in the work memory 3 is read out to be memorizedinto the medium through the bus 10. Also, the drive controller portion 2b has a function of identifying or discriminating the disc information,such as the kind the discs and the identifier (ID) of the disc, from thedata in the information recorded in the medium.

The work memory 3 stores therein the video/audio data which is read outand/or extracted from the optical disc by the drive controller portion 2b, the disc information obtained from the drive controller portion 2 b,an information indicative of the video reproduction information and thevideo reproducing position obtained from a decoder portion 8, and theset-up information obtained from the controller portion 6 which isselectively inputted by the user or operator of the apparatus. This workmemory 3 also may be constructed with such as DRAM, etc., and isprovided for collecting and summarizing the reproduced information to bestored into a last memory 9. Also, the work memory 3 has a function ofmemorizing the data for writing it/them into the medium 1 ba set in thedrive 1 b.

The details of the disc information obtained from the drive controllerportion 2 a, the video reproduction information obtained form thedecoder portion 8, the information indicative of the video reproducingposition obtained from the decoder portion 8, the selection operation ofthe user obtained from the controller portion 6, and the set-upinformation by the input operation are as be mentioned in the above.

The timer 4 also functions as an interruption instructing means forgiving an interruption instruction to the controller portion 6 at arandom or arbitrary time period, such as every 1 min., for example here.This timer 4 may be constructed with an oscillator and a counter forcounting a pulse signal generated and outputted from the aboveoscillator at a constant time period.

The controller portion 6 has also the functions same to those in theoptical disc reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and further samplesand/or extracts the physical position (i.e., video reproducingposition/video writing position) on the disc which is controlled by thedecoder portion 8, at the interruption instruction timing of the timer 4(every 1 min., for an example), so as to control the writing orrecording of the information indicative of the extracted video recordingposition (video writing position) into the medium 1 ba by thereading/writing. means 1 bb through the drive controller portion 2 b.Moreover, when an power switch is turned OFF, the controller portion 6controls so that the position information (i.e., the LAST positioninformation) of the last portion of recording area which is lastlyrecorded, as far as the electric power is supplied thereto, is read outfrom the work memory 3, so as to be written into the medium 1 ba bymeans of the reading/writing means 1 bb through the drive controllerportion 2 b.

A video/audio output portion 7 has also the same construction to that ofthe optical disc reproducing apparatus as was shown in FIG. 1.

A decoder portion 8 has also the same function to that in the opticaldisc reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Further, the decoder portiondecodes the digital data of video/audio, etc., inputted from a datainput portion 12 into the compressed digital data of video/audio and soon, according to the MPEG-2 for example, so as to store it into the workmemory 3, and also performs the PTS management as well, therefore, it isso constructed that also the information can be outputted therefrom,which is indicative of addresses for writing it into the medium 1 ba setin the drive 1 b (i.e., the information of the video recordingposition).

The last memory 9 has also the same function to that in the optical discreproducing apparatus as was shown in FIG. 1.

The data input portion 12 is constructed with a camera, an image scannerand so on for inputting the digital data of the video/audio and so ontherein.

And, the drive controller portion 2 b, the work memory 3, the controllerportion 6, the video/audio output portion 7, the decoder potion 8, thelast memory 9 and the data input portion 12 are also connected throughthe bus 10.

As is explained in the above, the data of the video/audio and so oninputted from the data input portion 12 is converted in the decoderportion 8, into the digital data to be written into the medium 1 ba, andis also memorized into the work memory 3. Also, the informationindicative of the recording position into the medium 1 ba is extractedfrom the decoder 8, by sampling at the timing (for example, every 1min.) of the interruption instruction of the timer 4, and theinformation indicative of the last position of the recording area atwhich the recording is made lastly (the information indicative of theLAST position) onto the medium 1 ba are also stored into the work memory3.

And, the controller portion 6 reads out the digital data of thevideo/audio and so on which is stored in the work memory 3, therecording position information sampled, and the information indicativeof the position of the last portion (the information indicative of theLAST position), and then controls them to be sent to the drivecontroller portion 2 b through the bus 10. Then, the drive controllerportion 2 b controls the drive 1 b so that the received digital data ofthe video/audio and so on, the recording position (writing position)sampled, and the information indicative of the position of the lastportion (the information inactive of the LAST position) are written intothe medium 1 ba.

Therefore, when the digital data is written into the medium 1 ba, evenif the power supply is abruptly interrupted due to the bad condition ofthe electric power supply source or is stopped, it is possible to writethe digital data continuously from the position of the interruption whenthe power supply is turned ON again, since the recording positioninformation sampled just before it is already written into the medium 1ba. However, in the case where the sampling is carried out every 1 min.,for example, the digital data is over-written during the time periodless or shorter than the 1 min., starting from the sampling was done andup to the time when the power supply was abruptly interrupted orstooped, for instance. ordinarily, since the information indicative ofthe position of the last portion (the information indicative of the LASTposition) was written into ?ThW the medium 1 ba when the power switch isturned OFF, the writing of the digital data is done judging from thisinformation indicative of the position of the last portion (theinformation indicative of the LAST position) when writing the digitaldata thereafter.

Further, it is also possible to read out the information indicative ofthe sampled recording position (writing position) to be written into themedium 1 ba, and the information indicative of the position of the lastportion (the information indicative of the LAST position) to be storedinto the last memory 9.

Also, when reproducing the information recorded onto the medium 1 ba, itis possible to reproduce it in the similar manner of the optical discreproducing apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, so as to be outputted from thevideo/audio output portion 7.

Next, an another embodiment of the optical disc reproducing apparatus,according to the present invention, will be explained by referring tothe attached drawings. Here, an aspect, differing from the embodimentmentioned in the above, lies in that the last memory has differentconstruction. However, since the present optical disc reproducingapparatus is same to the above-mentioned embodiment, in particular, inthe construction, the operation and so on, the detailed explanation ofthose will be omitted for eliminating duplication thereof.

FIG. 8 shows an image of memory map in the above embodiment, wherein thelast memory 9 is divided into a contemporary memory area or region formemorizing the reproduced information therein, rotationally orcircularly during the disc is inserted, and a main memory area or regionfor memorizing the reproduced information therein when the disc isexchanged.

In FIG. 8, a reference numeral 801 indicates an image in use of the lastmemory 9. A reference 802 indicates the main memory area for memorizingthe reproduced information in it, 803 the contemporary memory area formemorizing the reproduced information in it rotationally or circularly,and 804 a set-up memory area for memorizing the selection operation andthe set-up information by the input operation by the user.

An explanation will be given on the above-mentioned reproducedinformation and the set-up information, hereinafter.

FIG. 9 shows the memory map for the above-mentioned reproducedinformation being constructed from the memory map shown in FIG. 2, bydividing it into two for the reproducing information and for the set-upinformation, separately.

In FIG. 9, a reference numeral 901 indicates the reproduced information,902 addresses, 903 sizes of elements, and 904 contents of the reproducedinformation. A “disc ID” 905 is the identifier inherent for each disc,such as the Volume Descriptor and so on in the case of the VCD, asmentioned in ISO standard No. 9660 for example. The “management No. 0”906 is an index when storing the reproduced information into thecontemporary memory area 803, the “kind of medium” an identifier forvarious kinds of media, such as DVD, VCD, etc., the “last position” 908the reproducing time when the interruption occurs, the “management No.1” 909 an index when storing the reproduced information into theabove-mentioned main memory area 802, the “aspect, NTSC/PAL” 910 theaspect ratio and the kind of video signals, the “caption” a captionidentifier for English or Japanese, the “audio, Karaoke” 912 anidentifier for the audio channel, the “title No.” 913 the title numberwhen reproducing the DVD, the “chapter No.” 914 the chapter number whenreproducing the DVD, the “title No. 2” 915 the title number having thecaption, the “CRC” 916 data for CRC error correction of the informationof the above-mentioned 905-915. Here, the “title No.1” 913, the “chapterNo.” 914 and the “title No. 2” 915 may be the track number of the discor the read-out addresses thereof, for example, in the case of the VCD,CD-DA and other media. The above-mentioned reproduced information hasabout 32 bite in total.

FIG. 10 shows the memory map for the above-mentioned set-up informationbeing constructed from the memory map shown in FIG. 2, by dividing itinto two for the reproducing information and for the set-up informationseparately. The set-up information is inherent to the optical discreproducing apparatus, and it is set up into the work memory 3 when itis turned ON with power source. The existence of the display forselection of continuous reproduction shown in FIG. 5 is also containedin the set-up information.

In FIG. 10, the set-up information 1001 indicates the contents of theposition address 1002 within the last memory 9, the size of element 103,and the set-up information 1004. The set-up information 1001 isconstructed with memory of about 32 bite and stored into the set-upmemory area 804, including information, such as “kind of TV”, “OSDposition”, “audio output position”, “FL sound volume”, “FR soundvolume”, “SL sound volume”, “SR sound volume”, “center sound volume”,“sub-woofer sound volume”, “automatic reproduction”, “OSD menu language(English/Japanese, etc.)”, “disc menu language (English/Japanese,etc.)”, “DRC”, “screen saver”, “presence of background color”, “parentallevel”, “presence of optical output”, “brightness of display”, “stillvideo format”, “parental pass-word”, and “parental identificationnumber”, etc.

Here, the set-up information must not be preset or set up depending onthe kinds of the media.

Next, an explanation will be given on the method for storing theabove-mentioned reproduced information (32 bite) into the contemporarymemory area.

When the optical disc (medium) is set into/onto the drive, as is shownin FIG. 12, first of all, a first reproduced information from P1 isrecorded after 1 min. therefrom, for example, as the sampling timethereof, then a second one from P2 after 1 min. therefrom, and a thirdone from P3 further after therefrom, thereby the reproduced informationbeing recorded sequentially, and when the reproduced information fromP11 is recorded, then the reproduced information is next over-writtenthereon from P1 again. In the mean time, the controller portion 6records the “management No. 0” of the above reproduced information byincrementing it by one (+1) each. In that instance, the value of the“management No. 0” and the recording position thereof are recorded intothe work memory 3. Here, if the “management No. 0” exceeds the maximumvalue FF Hex, it starts from “0” again when it is recorded.

Here, the controller portion 6 searches the “management No. 0”s in thecontemporary memory area 803 when the electric power is turned ON so asto obtain the maximum value of the “management No. 0”, to be memorizedinto the work memory 3, and the serial number following to it is givento it when it is memorized into the contemporary memory area 803 next.

Then, an explanation will be given on the storing method of thereproduced information into the main memory area 802, along with actualoperations of the optical disc reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of indicating operations of the controllerportion 6 when the electric power is ON. The flow will be explained byreferring to a storing image of in the last memory shown in FIG. 12.When electric power is turned ON (S1101), the controller portion 6searches the reproduced information 1202 having the maximum “managementNo. 0” from the contemporary memory area, and further obtains a nextrecording position P5 of the said reproduced information as a nextcontemporary memory position, by making the value 24 of the “managementNo. 0” of the said reproduced information as the newest contemporary“management No.” (S1102 and S1103). Following to this, the controllerportion 6 searches the reproduced information 1203 having the same discID to that of the reproduced information 1202 which was recorded intothe contemporary memory area lastly (S1104). When the disc IDs arecoincident to each other (S1104), the recording position P13 of it isobtained as a next recording position of the main memory (S1106). Whenthere can be found no disc ID being coincident with it, a head orbeginning position P14 of non-used area is obtained as the nextrecording position of the main memory (S1106, S1107 and S1109). Further,if there is no such the non-used area remained, the reproducedinformation having the minimum “management No. 1” among of thoserecorded in the main memory area, in other words, the storing positionof the reproduced information which was stored in the main memory areaat the earliest, is obtained as the next recording position in the mainmemory area (S1106 and S1108). Furthermore, the reproduced informationhaving the maximum “management No. 1” among of those recorded in themain memory area, in other words, i.e., the reproduced information 1204which was stored at the latest, is searched for, and is obtained as thenewest management No. of the main memory, i.e., the “management No. 1” 5in FIG. 12.

FIG. 13 shows an operation flow in the controller portion 6 afterinsertion of the disc. The writing processes into the last memory, inparticular, when a certain disc is reproduced after turning electricpower ON, will be explained by referring to FIG. 13.

When a certain disc is inserted into the drive apparatus 1 a (S1301),the controller portion 6 obtains the disc ID of the said disc to compareit to the disc ID of the newest reproduced information in theabove-mentioned contemporary memory area (S1302). If it is notcoincident with or equal to that, the newest reproduced information ofthe above contemporary memory area is recorded at the next recordingposition in the main memory area obtained when the electric power isturned ON (S1303). At the time, the newest management No. of the mainmemory mentioned above, which is obtained when the electric power isturned ON, is incremented by one “1” to be recorded. At the same time,the controller portion 6 also records the newest management No. of themain memory into the work memory 3. In the case where the management No.exceeds “FFFFFFFF Hex”, the reproduced information in the main memoryare attached with the management Nos., starting from “0” in anincreasing order from the less “management No. 1”, again. The controllerportion 6 further searches the reproduced information having the samedisc ID to that of the inserted disc from the main memory area 802. Whenthe disc IDs coincide to each other (S1304), the recording position isobtained as the next recording-position in the main memory (S1305). Ifthere is no such the disc ID coincident with it, the top position in thenon-used area is obtained as the next recording position of the mainmemory (S1306 and S1308). Further, if there is no such the non-used arearemained, the reproduced information having the minimum “management No.1” among of those recorded in the main memory area, in other words, thestoring position of the reproduced information which was stored in themain memory area at the earliest, is obtained as the next recordingposition in the main memory area (S1306 and S1307).

Here, the operation of the controller portion 6 when the disc isinserted will be explained by referring to FIGS. 12 and 14, in details.

After being reproduced the disc of the disc ID 33 and recorded by thecontroller portion 6 up to the position P4 in FIG. 4, when the disc B ofthe disc ID 16 is inserted, the controller portion 6 obtains the disc ID16 of the disc B which is newly set into the drive 1 a to compare it tothe disc ID of the reproduced information 1202 which was lastly recordedbefore the insertion of the disc. However, since it differs in the discID thereof, the reproduced information 1202 recorded at P3 in FIG. 12 isrecorded at the next recording position P13 of the main memory. In thisinstance, the newest management number of the main memory of the“management No. 1” is renewed by incrementing by “1” in the valuethereof, i.e., “6” to be recorded. Furthermore, the controller portion 6searches the storing position of the reproduced information of the discID 16 from the main memory area, however, since no place can be foundfor storing the reproduced information of the disc ID 16, it obtains thebeginning position P14 of the non-used area as the next recordingposition of the main memory. Here, the disc A is further reproduced, andafter being recorded the reproduced information up to P1 as is shown inFIG. 14, if the disc A is inserted continuously, the controller portion6 does not record it into the main memory area but records thereproduced information starting from P2 since the disc ID is same tothat of the reproduced information 1402 which was lastly recorded beforethe insertion of the disc.

As is mentioned in the above, the last memory is divided into thecontemporary memory area and the main memory area, and further thereproduced information is recorded rotationally while it is recordedinto the main memory area only when the disc is exchanged, therebyenabling cutback the number in writing into the same position within thesame EEPROM.

Furthermore, by managing the novelty of the reproduced information inthe main memory area with use of the management No. 1, it is possible torecord the latest reproduced information all the time.

What is claimed is:
 1. A reproducing apparatus of an informationrecording medium, comprising: a drive for reading out informationrecorded onto the information recording medium; a drive controllerportion for controlling said drive so as to extract video/audio datafrom the recorded information by reproducing thereof, and having afunction of identifying said information recording medium which ismounted onto said drive by detecting an identifier information from datain the recorded information; video/audio output portion for outputtingvideo/audio; a work memory for memorizing the identifier informationbeing identified in said drive controller portion, the video/audio databeing extracted in said drive controller portion, and informationindicative of reproducing position; a decoder portion for reading outthe video/audio data memorized in said work memory and for convertingthe read-out video/audio data into desired video/audio data to beoutputted to said video/audio output portion; an interruptioninstruction means for outputting an interruption instruction at adesired time period or frequency; a non-volatile memory; and acontroller portion for controlling the identifier information and theinformation indicative of the reproducing position which are memorizedin said work memory so as to be read out and to be stored into saidnon-volatile memory upon basis of the interruption instruction outputtedat the desired time period or frequency from said interruptioninstruction means.
 2. A reproducing apparatus of an informationrecording medium, as defined in the claim 1, wherein said decoderportion reads out the video/audio data stored in said work memory, andconverts the read-out video/audio data into desired video/audio data tobe outputted to said video/audio output portion, and further outputs theinformation indicative reproducing position with respect to saidinformation recording medium; and said controller portion controls sothat the identifier information memorized in said work memory and theinformation indicative of the reproducing position obtained from saiddecoder portion are stored into said non-volatile memory on basis of theinterruption instruction outputted from said interruption instructionmeans at the desired time duration or period.
 3. A reproducing apparatusof an information recording medium, as defined in the claim 1, whereinsaid work memory memorizes the identifier information which isidentified in said drive controller portion, the video/audio dataextracted from said drive controller portion, the information indicativeof reproducing position, and information relating to a conversionmethod; and said controller portion controls so that the identifierinformation, the information indicative of the reproducing position, andthe information relating to the conversion method, which are memorizedin said work memory, are read out to be stored into said non-volatilememory on basis of the interruption instruction outputted from saidinterruption instruction means at the desired time duration or period.4. A reproducing apparatus of an information recording medium, asdefined in the claim 1, wherein said work memory memorizes theidentifier information which is identified in said drive controllerportion, the video/audio data extracted from said drive controllerportion, the information indicative of reproducing position, andinformation relating to an output method for outputting from saidvideo/audio portion; and said controller portion controls so that theidentifier information, the information indicative of the reproducingposition, and the information relating to the output method, which arememorized in said work memory, are read out to be stored into saidnon-volatile memory on basis of the interruption instruction outputtedfrom said interruption instruction means at the desired time duration orperiod.
 5. A reproducing apparatus of an information recording medium,as defined in the claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory is soconstructed that the information are memorized into plural differentareas sequentially, and are over-written sequentially thereon when theyare written into all of said plural areas.
 6. A reproducing apparatus ofan information recording medium, as defined in the claim 1, furthercomprising set-up means for setting up information relating to outputmethod for outputting from said video/audio output portion and formemorizing it into said work memory.
 7. A reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, comprising: a drive for reading outinformation recorded onto the information recording medium; a drivecontroller portion for controlling said drive so as to extractvideo/audio data from the recorded information by reproducing thereof,and having a function of identifying said information recording mediumwhich is mounted onto said drive by detecting an identifier informationfrom data in the recorded information; video/audio output portion foroutputting video/audio; a work memory for memorizing the identifierinformation being identified in said drive controller portion, thevideo/audio data being extracted in said drive controller portion, andinformation indicative of reproducing position; a decoder portion forreading out the video/audio data memorized in said work memory and forconverting the read-out video/audio data into desired video/audio datato be outputted to said video/audio output portion; an interruptioninstruction means for outputting an interruption instruction at adesired time period or frequency; a non-volatile memory; selection meansfor selecting whether the position of the reproduction to be startedfrom a continuous reproducing position again or not when conducting thereproduction anew; and a controller portion for controlling theidentifier information and the information indicative of the reproducingposition which are memorized in said work memory so as to be read outand to be stored into said non-volatile memory upon basis of theinterruption instruction outputted at the desired time period orfrequency from said interruption instruction means, and for controllingthe reproduction from the continuous reproducing position by controllingsaid drive controller portion upon basis of the information indicativeof the reproducing position which is read out from said non-volatilememory when conducting the reproduction anew, in a case where theidentifier information read out from said non-volatile memory and theidentifier information identified in said drive controller portion arecompared to be coincident with and the reproduction from the continuousreproducing position is selected by said selection portion.
 8. Areproducing apparatus of an information recording medium, as defined inthe claim 7, wherein said decoder portion reads out the video/audio datastored in said work memory, and converts the read-out video/audio datainto desired video/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio outputportion, and further outputs the information indicative reproducingposition with respect to said information recording medium; and saidcontroller portion controls so that the identifier information memorizedin said work memory and the information indicative of the reproducingposition obtained from said decoder portion are stored into saidnon-volatile memory on basis of the interruption instruction outputtedfrom said interruption instruction means at the desired time duration orperiod.
 9. A reproducing apparatus of an information recording medium,as defined in the claim 7, wherein said work memory memorizes theidentifier information which is identified in said drive controllerportion, the video/audio data extracted from said drive controllerportion, the information indicative of reproducing position, andinformation relating to a conversion method; and said controller portioncontrols so that the identifier information, the information indicativeof the reproducing position, and the information relating to theconversion method, which are memorized in said work memory, are read outto be stored into said non-volatile memory on basis of the interruptioninstruction outputted from said interruption instruction means at thedesired time duration or period.
 10. A reproducing apparatus of aninformation recording medium, as defined in the claim 7, wherein saidwork memory memorizes the identifier information which is identified insaid drive controller portion, the video/audio data extracted from saiddrive controller portion, the information indicative of reproducingposition, and information relating to an output method for outputtingfrom said video/audio portion; and said controller portion controls sothat the identifier information, the information indicative of thereproducing position, and the information relating to the output method,which are memorized in said work memory, are read out to be stored intosaid non-volatile memory on basis of the interruption instructionoutputted from said interruption instruction means at the desired timeduration or period.
 11. A reproducing apparatus of an informationrecording medium, as defined in the claim 7, wherein said non-volatilememory is so constructed that the information are memorized into pluraldifferent areas sequentially, and are over-written sequentially thereonwhen they are written into all of said plural areas.
 12. A reproducingapparatus of an information recording medium, as defined in the claim 7,further comprising set-up means for setting up information relating tooutput method for outputting from said video/audio output portion andfor memorizing it into said work memory.
 13. A reproducing/recordingapparatus of an information recording medium, comprising: a drive forwriting information onto the information recording medium, and forreading out information recorded onto the information recording medium;a drive controller portion for controlling said drive so as to write theinformation, and so as to extract video/audio from the recordedinformation recorded onto the information recording medium byreproducing thereof; a work memory for memorizing information indicativeof a writing-in position onto the information recording medium, and formemorizing the video/audio data being extracted in said drive controllerportion; an interruption instruction means for outputting aninterruption instruction at a desired time period or frequency; acontroller portion for controlling the information indicative of thewriting position which is memorized in said work memory so as to beread-out and to be written into the information recording medium by saiddrive through said drive controller portion upon basis of theinterruption instruction outputted at the desired time period orfrequency from said interruption instruction means; video/audio outputportion for outputting video/audio; and a decoder portion for readingout the video/audio data stored in said work memory and for convertingthe read-out video/audio data into desired video/audio data to beoutputted to said video/audio output portion.
 14. Areproducing/recording apparatus of an information recording medium, asdefined in the claim 13, further comprising: data input means forinputting data, wherein, said work memory memorizes the data inputtedfrom said input means and the information indicative of writing positiononto said information recording medium, and further memorizes thevideo/audio data extracted from said drive controller portion.
 15. Areproducing/recording apparatus of an information recording medium, asdefined in the claim 13, further comprising: selecting means forselecting whether to start the writing from a position for continuouswriting or not, wherein, said controller portion controls said drivecontroller portion to write the data from the position for continuouswriting on basis of the information indicative of the writing positionwhich is written onto said information recording medium when the writingfrom the position for continuous writing is selected through saidselecting means.
 16. A reproducing/recording apparatus of an informationrecording medium, as defined in the claim 13, further comprising: anon-volatile memory, and wherein, said controller portion controls sothat the information indicative of the writing position memorized insaid work memory so as to be stored into said non-volatile memory onbasis of the interruption instruction outputted from said interruptioninstruction means at the desired time duration or period.
 17. Areproducing/recording apparatus of an information recording medium,comprising: a drive for writing information onto the optical informationrecording medium, and for reading out information recorded onto theinformation recording medium; a drive controller portion for controllingsaid drive so as to write the information, and so as to extractvideo/audio from the recorded information recorded onto the informationrecording medium by reproducing thereof; a data input portion forinputting data; a work memory for memorizing the data inputted from saiddata input portion and information indicative of a position of a lastportion of a writing area of said data onto the information recordingmedium, and for memorizing the video/audio data being extracted in saiddrive controller portion; a controller portion for controlling the datamemorized in said work memory to be read-out and to be written into saidinformation recording medium through said drive controller portion, andfor controlling the information indicative of the last portion of saidwriting area to be read-out and to be written into said informationrecording medium by said drive through said drive controller portion;video/audio output portion for outputting video/audio; and a decoderportion for reading out the video/audio data stored in said work memoryand for converting the read-out video/audio data into desiredvideo/audio data to be outputted to said video/audio output portion. 18.A reproducing method for reproducing information recorded on aninformation recording medium with a reproducing apparatus, comprisingthe steps of: reading out information from the information recordingmedium utilizing a drive of the reproducing apparatus; controlling thedrive so as to extract video/audio data from the recorded informationwhich is read out and identifying the information recording medium whichis mounted onto the drive by detecting identifier information from datain the recorded information; memorizing the identifier information, thevideo/audio data being extracted and information indicative of areproducing position in a work memory; reading out the memorizedvideo/audio data and converting the read-out video/audio data intodesired video/audio data for outputting thereof; outputting aninterruption instruction at a desired time period or frequency; andcontrolling the memorized identifier information and memorizedinformation indicative of the reproducing position so as to enablereading out thereof and storage into a non-volatile memory in accordancewith the interruption instruction which is outputted at the desired timeperiod or frequency.
 19. A reproducing method according to claim 18,further comprising the step of re-starting read-out of the informationrecorded on the information recording medium by using the memorizedinformation indicative of the reproducing position after interruption ofelectric power to the reproducing apparatus.
 20. A reproducing methodaccording to claim 18, wherein the information indicative of thereproducing position is memorized at a predetermined time period.